Teemu Hartikainen will get a promotion today when the Oilers take on the Detroit Red Wings, if Ralph Krueger sticks with the lines he used at practice yesterday.

Krueger shuffled his lines after they produced only nine even strength goals in the first ten games of the season. The Oilers are last in ES goals, and that's the main reason they've lost four in a row.

Yesterday Krueger had Belanger between 91 and 64 while Smyth was in the middle on the fourth line, but Belanger is not eligible to return from the IR until tomorrow, so I expect Smyth to be in the middle on the third line and Vande Velde to skate on the fourth line.

Krueger had no choice but to juggle his lines. You can't win in the NHL if you can't score at ES, and the Oilers have struggled at ES for the past three seasons. They were 22nd in ES goals in 2012, 28th in 2011 and 20th in 2010.

The reality is that until the Oilers have enough players willing to score from the tough areas, they will struggle producing. The Oilers have loads of offensive skill, but you can't expect to win scoring only pretty goals. They need some garbage goals, and I'm not sure line juggling will guarantee that if the players don't alter their strategy in the offensive zone.

N. Schultz-J.Schultz
Smid-Petry
Whitney-Potter

I'd play Fistric and Whitney ahead of Potter at this point. Fistric gives you a physical presence on the backend and he's solid on the PK, while I still feel Whitney, even if he's struggling can give you more than Potter.

That being said I expect Fistric to be in the pressbox today. His back might still be a bit tight, and the Oilers will go with puck movers against Detroit.

Dubnyk/Khabibulin

Dubnyk has been great so far this season so the obvious choice would be to play him, but the Oilers have lost four in a row and I wonder if Krueger goes with Khabibulin todaY.

The Oilers are 1-6-1 in their last eight visits to Detroit, but Dubnyk is 2-0-1 in his career v. the Wings. During his only start in Detroit he stopped 42 of 44 shots in an OT loss in 2011.

Khabibulin has lost his last six v. the Wings and is 1-6 all-time v. Detroit as an Oiler.

I'd start Dubnyk, but I won't be surprised if Krueger goes with Khabibulin today due to a four game losing streak and goes with Dubnyk tomorrow.

QUICK HITS

Ryan Jones is getting very close to playing. The Oilers could use some of his greasy goals, and his willingness to go to the net. When he is activated I'm guessing the Oilers will waive Darcy Hordichuk. Krueger won't play him, so there is no point keeping him.

The Wings blueline isn't great and the Oilers should be able to create some quality chances this afternoon, especially the Hall/Gagner/Hemsky line. Hall and Hemsky have been excellent off the rush this year, and I'm curious to see how they will work together.

I'm also curious to see Yakupov play with Paajarvi. Yakupov knows he has to shoot more, and with Paajarvi not a threat to shoot we should see 64 unload his heavy shot more often.

GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Wings aren't the dominant team we've been accustomed to watching for the past ten years, and the Oilers pull off a 3-2 upset.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Hall, Gagner and Hemsky will be the Oilers best line and they'll produce two ES goals. Pavel Datsyuk also has a strong game including a sick dangle in the second period that will be on every highlight reel this evening.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: The usually calm, cool and collected Tom Renney, will get into a verbal sparring match with Ben Eager during the second period. We won't be able to hear or lip-read what was said, but Renney will point to his head a few times and give the thumbs down. Suggesting Eager isn't that bright. Eager will be fired up and score the eventual game winner. After the game, Krueger will devise a plan that gets his players arguing with the opposing bench on a daily basis.

RECENTLY BY JASON GREGOR

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

There seems to be some buzz around the Isles and the Oilers talking deal.......I sure hope that it's Matt Martin and not Matt Moulson ...........sure hope that Tamby dose something to help the bottom six and add toughness.

I love the line combinations as presented........even Gretzky needed someone digging in the corners doing the heavy lifting. I cannot understand why Krueger would have three high skilled puck carrying players on one line and expect it to work?

Oilers are going to trade for Tim Thomas for a 5th round draft pick and Linus Omark. Oilersnation will go crazy calling it the worst trade of the year as Linus Omark is worth at least Kyle Okoposo. NSOP of the month; book it!

If anyone is going to be put on waivers it should be Potter. I usually don't hate on players cause I know how much it takes to play at a higher level, but Potter does not play well at this level. There's a reason he only played a hand full of NHL games before Renney got him on the team.

If Hall or Ebs are worth 6 mil what will J Schultz be worth in a few years? 7 mil? 8 mil? Time to plan ahead. Deal one or more of the small skill to create cap room to sign Schultz AND address the lack of depth and lack of size up front. Maybe Ebs has to go for a handful of top prospects and Yak has to go for a couple of big bodies.It would make the oil a better team in the long run.

I had heard rumblings of an oilers and isles trade a brewing. Anyone heard anything about this? Was just curious who for who.

Heard Nino Niederreiter's name mentioned in an Oiler trade. Also heard Khabibulin & Hemsky mentioned in a Philly deal for Matt Read & something else??? Who knows if any of these rumours have any substance though, Toronton sports radio had Tim Connolly coming to Edmonton too but I don't hear anything about on our side.

Heard Nino Niederreiter's name mentioned in an Oiler trade. Also heard Khabibulin & Hemsky mentioned in a Philly deal for Matt Read & something else??? Who knows if any of these rumours have any substance though, Toronton sports radio had Tim Connolly coming to Edmonton too but I don't hear anything about on our side.

If Hall or Ebs are worth 6 mil what will J Schultz be worth in a few years? 7 mil? 8 mil? Time to plan ahead. Deal one or more of the small skill to create cap room to sign Schultz AND address the lack of depth and lack of size up front. Maybe Ebs has to go for a handful of top prospects and Yak has to go for a couple of big bodies.It would make the oil a better team in the long run.

This is why I believe the Oilers will be going after both Weber and Clowe. I don't think you have to give any of the kids away, but you may see a Gagner or Hemsky go.

WTF were we in the circle ? dont let efforts like this by Hall
and Hopkins and Justin go to waste because they have to
retrieve the puck. GET A CENTRE PLEASE, And no Horcoff
is not the answer so quit shoving that tool's name
or Belangers down my throat, they suck and have little
else to offer other than winning a face off.

Smyth- time to retire, i am sorry, u -r- DONE.

Nik- good job man, good job.

Now get off your butt Tambo and get us a Center. ENOUGH !!

And in closing- nice to see a sniper like Yakapov
who lead your team in scoring sitting most of the game.

Everyone knows what's wrong with the Oilers (e.g. too small, defence), and while we thought Fistric was the beginning of management believing this team could win (by filling holes), any silence should be understood of more of the same. I'm not going to get into what Tambo should do because at the end of the day it's moot. Should I get a Drouin or a Jones jersey?

As much as I like Nate Mackinnon and Jonathan Drouin it would be ridiculous for Edm to draft another small skilled forward when they have 3 high end ones already. Seth Jones would give the Oilers a 1-2 future punch that all contending teams need from the backend, can you imagine him and Justin Schultz together?

That 5v3 was embarrassing. Don't think we even had a player move into a potential scoring position for the entire minute. This team completely relies on special teams and when you can't get a shot on a full minute of 5v3 you are probably going to lose the game. And then we had the 6v4 near the end of the game where it looked like none of the Oilers knew where they were supposed to be on the ice. Maybe that magic PP isn't as magical as we were all led to believe.

First of all, in my opinion, there is absolutely no need for a massive/team altering trade(s). This was a 29th place team that had been predicted by most to finish 24th - 28th. Right now they are .500 and while every single one of us wants to see them do better, just how big a step this year is good enough?

They are 9th in the conference right this second and if they finish there at the end of the year....is this season a failure? In my mind....no, hell no, thats a huge step. And sets them up well for next year.

Having said that, I dont think there is anything wrong with trying to improve for both the short term and long term if possible. For example, if we could get a player like Niederriter(sp?) or Strome for any package that doesnt include RNH/Hall/Ebs/Schultz/Yak/ Harti/MPS/Lander/Petry, or Klefbom, Musil or Gerlat, I am okay with it.

I like Gagner but I think he peaks close to his current numbers, and without any size in the top 6 him and Hemmer are the two I would move.

I think we can afford to move Whitney / Potter / Plante / Teubert and Peckham and I think there are teams that would take any of those in a package, we have some young talent we could throw out there too in Omark and a couple of the developing defencemen.

As far as veterans Eager, Hordichuk, Horcoff, Belanger and Smythe, we all know they wont be around for much longer, so why not look at those old-fashioned 3 or 4 player package deals ala TOR/CGY.

Also we have a couple extra 2nd round picks to add to any deal to up the ante.

Right now teams looking to make moves, Buf, NYI, PHI and NYR. Who would I target Strome from the Islanders, Foligno/Ott from Buf, Laughton/Read from PHI, and Boyle/McIlroth from the NYR.

None of those come cheap, but we do have a lot of parts to package, both young and vets, someone should be interested.

Potter stinks! He needs a new wand.
Ryan Smyth, appreciated everything he did but it is time.
Training camp would have been nice as it looks like the players are still trying to learn the new system/coach, unless Krueger's (sp?)system sucks as bad as Potter, then it's time for a new coach next year.
Blue Jackets suck.
We lost, I still have two hours left at work and I'm in a sucky mood ;(